Will I Do Everything He Wants, Cont'd

I was telling some friends about my post, and one of them asked, "So you're going to Burundi?"

"No! That was just illustrative. Hypothetical. What if God asked me to do something big, something radical, with Burundi representing a radical call, a radical destination...would I do it? That's what I was exploring."

"Hmmm...." she said, with a mischievous grin.

"You think I'm going to Burundi?" I asked.

"I don't know. I just think it's interesting."

As we were finishing up the discussion, I looked across the table at my other friend, who had just smiled and stayed out of it. Last year she volunteered every day as a teacher's aide in an inner-city public elementary school. This year, she has accepted a position working with special needs kids in the same school. I see it as a sacrifice: Radical, Burundi-level service to the world. She thinks it's no big deal, but does see it as a perfect fit for who she is--she loves it.

What do I love? Well, honestly, I love to write. But the nation needs people to go to the most challenging schools and offer anything of themselves, no matter how small or simple. The world needs people willing to sacrifice to build schools in Burundi and teach English to Indonesian orphans and sing songs with Haitians. There's a shortage of people willing to meet those kinds of needs, and an abundance of writers blogging and writing books.

So I'm trying to pay attention and be open-minded. I'm trying to listen. Burundi...Public School 26... a n y w h e r e.

"Anywhere" feels like it's right here in my back yard, swinging The Boy on the swing. But I also don't want to just let myself off the hook. I want to be willing and available, assuming the whole family could be, too.

But if I were honest, I'd have to admit that I'm still a wimp. So maybe I cling to the back yard because it's safe and familiar.

I think it's important to ask these questions from time to time. To struggle with them a little...or a lot. And I think it's important to stay totally open to new possibilities.

Meanwhile, it's time to fix lunch. Not radical. Rather ordinary. Is ordinary what God wants me to do? Maybe...maybe not.